UPDATE, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16 5:30 PM ET: A previous version of this article incorrectly included the line “Big Trouble at ‘Live! with Kelly?'” in its heading.
We apologize for the sensationalized heading, and have corrected it to include the core information. While “Live! with Kelly” did hit 20 year lows, which made that tidbit of information more noteworthy, it is one of the few daytime shows (talk or otherwise) to have been on the air as long.
Additionally, despite its lows, “Live!” was the third most watched talk show for the week. This in spite of the show losing 39 affiliated stations, representing 10% of the U.S.
PREVIOUS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 6:16 AM ET: A number of syndicated programs hit their season lows during the week of July 30, 2012 thanks to the Olympics on NBC, while others were so heavily preempted that Nielsen Media Research excluded them from the weekly ratings averages, which was the case for Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution’s (WBDTD)’ “Anderson,” “Ellen” and “Extra,” and CBS Television Distribution’s (CTD) “Rachael Ray” and “The Doctors.” In the case of daytime talker “Live! with Kelly,” however, the show hit its lowest ratings in more than 20 years.
Distributed by Disney/ABC Domestic Television, “Live!” managed just a 1.7 in households, down 26% from the prior week (week of July 23, 2012). It was the talk shows lowest ratings in more than 20 years, according to Nielsen Media Research data (Live+Same Day). “Live!” is hosted by Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley Vaughan Santos, “All My Children”). Former co-host, Regis Philbin left the program (when it was titled “Live! with Regis and Kelly”) in November 2011. According to TV Guide Magazine, Ripa is paid $20 million a year for hosting “Live!”
CTD’s “Judge Judy” was syndicated televisions most watched first-run program with a 5.7 household rating, although the program shed 10% of its audience against the Olympics. WBDTD’s “The Big Bang Theory” was the most watched syndicated program with a 5.9 household rating. The program lost a mere 6% of its audience from the prior week.